Place innertubes, flotation vests, coolers, a trash bag and sunglasses in Vehicle A.

6

Place towels and beach sandals in Vehicle B.

7

Drive Vehicles A and B to a parking area as close to the river as you can get where you expect to end your float trip.

8

Move the occupants of Vehicle B into Vehicle A. Lock Vehicle B and take the keys with you.

9

Drive Vehicle A to a parking area close to the river where you want to start your float trip.

10

Get out of Vehicle A, and take the innertubes, flotation vests, coolers, sunglasses and the keys to Vehicle B out of it as well.

11

Lock Vehicle A and secure the keys upon your person in such a way that the keys will still be with you later in the day, when you will need them.

12

Give the keys to Vehicle B to the most reliable member of your innertubing party and impress upon him or her that the success of the trip requires that he or she successfully migrate the keys down the river to the point of disembarkation.

13

Make sure everyone is securely buckled into his or her flotation vest.

14

If necessary, demonstrate to novice members of the group the different ways of arranging themselves in an innertube.

15

Embark.

16

Allow the current to do the work.

17

Be aware that if the current takes you near the river bank, you may be swept under the branch of a tree that has gracefully bent near the river, and things may fall on you--flora and fauna.

18

If you are on the Wisconsin river, occasionally scan the horizon for eagles.

19

Study the old tree branches by the side of the river. Turtles may be sunning on them.

20

Do not disturb the turtles, or any other natives.

21

Leave no trash upon the river.

22

When you near the point of disembarkation, determine if your current course will drift you toward or away from that point.

23

If necessary, implement vigorous directional paddling procedures to ensure that the members of your party successfully land on the bank of the river near where Vehicle A is parked.

24

Disembark.

25

Place all items and people in Vehicle B.

26

Drive back to where Vehicle A is parked.

27

Important: The person who drives Vehicle B back to Vehicle A should not have significantly consumed alcohol during the course of the innertubing. Ideally, no one in the group should consume alcohol.

28

Drop off someone at Vehicle A--a someone who has the keys to Vehicle A.

29

Important: At least a second person in the group, responsible for driving Vehicle B, should not be under the influence of intoxicants. Do the math - TWO designated drivers (or one trip to the second vehicle many hours later)!

Community Q&A

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Tips

You can tie a cooler into its own innertube so that it can float down the river with you. If you do, secure that innertube to a person-occupied innertube with a rope.

Some people can float the river in flotation vests, with no innertubes. If you adjust the flotation vest appropriately, you can sit in it as if it were a chair, allowing you to float down the river in the same posture you'd be in sitting in a chair.

Be safety conscious.

Use real innertubes, if possible. Try a Farm & Fleet or an old gas station in a small town.

For your first trip, try a 2–3 mile (3.2–4.8 km) section of the river.

Don't take children on your first trip on a particular stretch of the river. Get to know a stretch of river before you decide that children can handle it.

Some popular rivers for floating are rougher and rockier. Consider an old pair of shoes, patch kits for the tubes, and basic first aid supplies.

Warnings

On long trips, a t-shirt is not sufficient to protect against sunburn.

You'll need a lot of sunblock on the tops of your feet.

If you go on a trip over five miles, wear a hat. If you don't, you'll get a sunburn in the part of your hair.